Table DRDeath-2. Number of acute drug-related deaths recorded in EU Member States (15 members up to 2004) according to national definitions, 1985-2002. Part (i) Total drug-related deaths, 1985 onwards

Country	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002

Belgium	hna	hna	17	33	26	50	63	64	123	122	132	137	123	na	na	na	na	na
Denmark	150	109	140	135	123	115	188	208	210	271	274	268	278	251	239	247	258	252
Germany	324	348	442	670	991	1491	2125	2099	1738	1624	1565	1712	1501	1674	1812	2030	1835	1513
Greece	10	28	56	62	72	66	79	79	78	146	176	222	232	245	265	304	321	259
Spain	140	151	226	327	426	451	577	554	439	383	392	418	319	270	258	251	266	231
France	172	185	228	236	318	350	411	499	454	564	465	393	228	143	118	119	107	97
Ireland	19	6	4	8	8	7	8	14	18	19	43	53	81	97	114	119	88	na
Italy	242	292	543	809	974	1161	1383	1217	888	867	1195	1566	1160	1080	1002	1016	825	516
Luxembourg	1	3	5	4	8	11	17	17	15	29	22	17	9	16	17	26	18	11
Netherlands ⁽¹⁾	40	42	23	33	30	43	49	43	38	50	33	63	70	61	76	98	103	na
Austria	hna	hna	hna	hna	40	43	71	129	156	173	170	191	136	109	128	167	139	139
Portugal	hna	18	22	33	52	82	121	156	115	143	198	232	235	337	369	318	280	156
Finland	hna	hna	16	11	23	41	34	27	26	35	51	43	43	52	65	75	63	na
Sweden	hna	hna	70	55	56	62	62	66	83	86	70	122	133	138	153	191	162	na
United Kingdom (ONS) ⁽²⁾	2260	2341	2316	2343	2238	2356	2374	2628	2654	2861	3035	3221	3344	3411	3485	3517	3473	na
U.K. (England & Wales) (ONS)	1971	2077	2034	2061	1942	2041	2053	2287	2252	2404	2563	2721	2858	2922	2943	2968	2898	na
U.K (N. Ireland) (ONS)	47	40	32	44	32	39	46	28	28	35	46	40	39	40	50	54	24	na
U.K. (Scotland) (ONS)	242	224	250	238	264	276	275	313	374	422	426	460	447	449	492	495	551	na
Norway	45	44	43	48	45	70	88	104	93	124	143	195	185	274	237	360	368	na

Overall trend	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Corrected Index ⁽⁴⁾	100	104.3	118.4	137.3	153.9	181.4	216.9	224.1	202.1	212.5	225.8	251	229	234.8	239.7	254.4	241.2	---

U.K. DSD Definition ⁽³⁾	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
U.K. (DSD)										1253	1352	1531	1565	1748	1909	2008	1978	na
U.K. (England & Wales) (DSD)									864	1002	1100	1247	1302	1459	1568	1663	1623	na
U.K. (N. Ireland) (DSD)	22	14	18	14	5	39	46	28	28	35	46	40	39	40	50	53	23	na
U.K. (Scotland) (DSD)										216	206	244	224	249	291	292	332	na

Notes:
(hna): historical data not available; (na): data of recent years not yet available.
Absolute numbers from different countries are not directly comparable because differences remain in case definition and recording methods.
The national definitions used to report to the EMCDDA and the methods used are described in [Methods and definitions - Drug-related deaths].
National definitions usually refer to acute deaths directly related to drug consumption ("overdoses", "poisonings" or "drug-induced"). Note that, in a few countries, the figures include also a limited number of cases of deaths indirectly related to drug use (e.g. AIDS, accidents with positive toxicology). See [Methodological notes with national definitions]. Note in addition that in some countries, statistics published at national level may differ from those presented here for differences of case definition used at national level.
⁽¹⁾ The Netherlands adopted the EMCDDA definition for general mortality registries ("Selection B") in 2001, yielding 144 cases. In this table, the figure based on the previous definition was maintained until retrospective recomputation of figures is done consistently, based on data reported to EMCDDA.
⁽²⁾ United Kingdom (ONS): Definition used by Office for National Statistics (ONS).
⁽³⁾ United Kingdom (DSD): In addition are presented figures from the recently developed Drug Strategy Definition (DSD) of drug-related deaths: it is an extract from the ONS definition that includes cases with drugs controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971. For details refer to [Methods and definitions - Drug-related deaths]. The DSD definition is relatively similar to the EMCDDA definition for general mortality registries ("Selection B"); in 2000 for E&W the DSD computes 1663 cases and EMCDDA Selection B 1606 cases; for 2001 DSD computes 1623 cases and the Selection B 1443.
⁽⁴⁾ Corrected index: 1985=100. A few countries did not provide data for some years (see table). To correct this situation, the computation method used is defined in the report [European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2001). Co-ordination of the implementation of the EMCDDA standard guidelines on the drug-related deaths in the EU Member States, and the collection and analysis of information on drug-related deaths], Project CT.99.RTX.04, Co-ordinated by the Trimbos Institute. Lisbon: EMCDDA.

Associated graphics:
Long-term EU trend in acute deaths directly related to drug use (1985-2001) [Figure11OL].
Trends in acute drug-related deaths in the different EU countries (1985-2002) [Figure12OL].

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